Chinstrap Penguin Tracking
The commercial fishery for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) operates in the southwest Atlantic, in particular along the west Antarctic Peninsula, and over the shelf breaks of the South Shetland Islands, …
Antarctica is a natural laboratory for studying the small number of plant and animal species that live in communities. Microbial life, invisible to the naked eye, plays a vital role in Antarctic ecosystems. State-of-the-art genetic methods to study the DNA of these microbes may lead to discoveries that could help in the production of new antibiotics and other compounds.
Remote and hostile, Antarctica harbours some of the most amazing creatures on the planet. It is also a powerful natural laboratory for studying biodiversity, evolution and the impacts of climate change. Cut off from the rest of planet, Antarctica’s isolation and its cold climate have allowed some unique species to evolve.
Mostly covered in ice and snow, Antarctica is the driest, coldest and windiest continent on Earth. Little of its land surface can support life, so the communities of plants and animals that survive there consist of only a small number of species living in simple relationships. Because of the simplicity of these communities, Antarctica is an exceptionally useful place for scientists to uncover how ecosystems work.
Some of the creatures in these communities are particularly interesting. Known as nematodes, their ancestors survived on tiny areas of land left uncovered during the last ice ages, more than one million years ago. By studying these nematodes, scientists at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are able to increase our understanding of evolution and help reconstruct Antarctica’s glacial history.
Unlike the land, the seas around Antarctica are home to a rich and diverse group of species that have evolved some unique ways of coping with the cold. Some Antarctic fish, for example, are the only vertebrates in the world that do not use red blood cells to carry oxygen around their bodies.
But because they are so well adapted to the cold, some of these species may not be able to cope with life in a warmer world. Climate change is likely to have a major impact on Antarctic species. From their research stations on and around the Antarctic Peninsula – one of the fastest warming parts of the planet – BAS scientists are well placed to study how these species are responding to climate change.
Compared with our understanding of the continent’s plants and animals, we know very little about Antarctica’s microbial life. Invisible to the naked eye, these organisms play a vital role in Antarctic ecosystems and, because they may help us produce new antibiotics and other compounds, are rich but untapped resource. At BAS, scientists are using state-of-the-art genetic methods to study the DNA of these microbes and, hopefully, harness their potential.
The commercial fishery for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) operates in the southwest Atlantic, in particular along the west Antarctic Peninsula, and over the shelf breaks of the South Shetland Islands, …
Wandering albatrosses at South Georgia have declined catastrophically since the 1960s due to incidental mortality (bycatch) in fisheries (Pardo et al. 2017) [1]. This led to the development of the …
The British Antarctic Survey whale research team at King Edward Point have been studying whale movements and patterns of habitat use in South Georgia waters. South Georgia was at the …
A fishery for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) operates over the shelf breaks of the South Orkney, South Shetland and South Georgia archipelagos [8]. Krill is an important food source for …
The grey-headed albatross is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because of a decline since the 1970s of the largest global breeding population, which is …
The aim of this project is to learn more about the feeding habits of penguins around the Antarctic Peninsula to understand how their behaviour may be changing as the waters …
The food security and economies of Tristan da Cunha and St Helena, British overseas territories in the South Atlantic, are heavily reliant on marine harvestable resources and, to a lesser …
On 12 July 2017, the Larsen-C Ice Shelf calved one of the largest iceberg originating from the Antarctic Peninsula ever recorded. As iceberg A68 moves north, it leaves behind an …
The BAS AI Lab is a cross-disciplinary group of researchers leading in the application of AI and Data Science to tackle our greatest environmental challenges. AI methods are now embedded …
The British Antarctic Survey carries out Long Term Science that measures changes in Antarctic ecosystems and seeks to understand the underlying drivers and processes. Marine predators are sensitive to changes …
Sustained ocean observing programme
Many populations of wildlife are remote, inaccessible or difficult to monitor. The advent of sub-metre, Very-High-Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery may enable us study these animals in a much more efficient …
In this collaboration with the Natural History Museum (NHM) and the University of Liverpool, we have developed novel methods for using existing data to contribute to marine conservation and fisheries …
Can a fungus from an Antarctic soil be used to control weevil larvae causing damage to UK soft fruits and forestry? The larvae of weevils, which overwinter in soil and …
[email protected] is an initiative formed by BAS staff. Adopting current NERC Biodiversity policy and working closely with BAS Estates and Environment Office teams, its goal is to assist with the …
Contemporary research has shown that the Southern Ocean is warming. Summer surface temperatures have risen by more than 1 degree Centigrade in the last 80 years and a strong upper-layer …
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) are a key component of the food chain throughout much of the Southern Ocean. These small, shrimp-like animals occur in dense swarms, but their distribution is …
The white-chinned petrel is the most common bird species recorded as fisheries bycatch in the Southern Ocean [1]. Although currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, limited population trend data …
Reproductive capacity and success of marine animals
Baseline study to monitor how marine biodiversity will respond to climate change
The South Orkney Islands is a small archipelago located in the Southern Ocean, 375 miles north-east of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The seafloor around the South Orkney Islands …
How will life and biodiversity on Earth will respond to climate change? This information is particularly urgent for the waters along the Antarctic Peninsula, which are experiencing rapid regional climate …
European Marine Biological Resource Centre
In order to assess the impact of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) on the oceans today we are investigating the effect of decreasing upper ocean pH on calcifying zooplankton. Pteropods, …
South Georgia Marine Biodiversity Database (SGMarBase)
Pushing forward our understanding of calcium production in the marine environment
The Southern Ocean Network of Acoustics (SONA) represents a group of scientific institutes and industrial partners who have united to measure an under-sampled component of the ecosystem – the mid-trophic …
This long-term study monitors the impact of marine plastics and other debris on breeding seabirds at Bird Island. Researchers have monitored the levels of marine plastics and other material from …
The ASCCC Project has been funded by ACE (Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition) to investigate, quantify and understand the role of polar and subpolar seabeds in the carbon cycle, particularly in response …
1 October, 2020
1 September, 2020
26 June, 2020
1 January, 2020
18 October, 2019
18 September, 2019
1 September, 2019
1 June, 2019
1 March, 2019
14 February, 2019
1 February, 2019
17 January, 2019
4 January, 2019
1 January, 2019
1 December, 2018
1 December, 2018
28 November, 2018
20 October, 2018
1 October, 2018
29 June, 2018
What is a Marine Protected Area? Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) support conservation. They are defined geographical areas of water that have some level of protection for the species and ecosystems …
29 June, 2018
Antarctic krill, a shrimp-like crustacean that can grow to 6cm long, is a food source for fish, whales, seals, penguins and other seabirds. Rich in oil and other nutrients, krill …
1 June, 2018
1 April, 2018
1 February, 2018
8 January, 2018
Scientific report: a brief review of the management framework for the commercial fishery for Antarctic krill
1 January, 2018
18 December, 2017
1 December, 2017
1 December, 2017
1 October, 2017
1 October, 2017
1 September, 2017
1 April, 2017
All but seven of the world’s 22 species of albatross are threatened with extinction, mainly because of commercial fishing activity. British Antarctic Survey science and technology underpins international efforts to …
1 April, 2017
1 March, 2017
1 January, 2017
1 January, 2017
1 December, 2016
1 November, 2016
1 June, 2016
27 May, 2016
27 April, 2016
1 March, 2016
28 January, 2016
1 January, 2016
1 January, 2016
1 January, 2016
1 January, 2016
1 January, 2016
1 January, 2016
1 January, 2016
1 November, 2015
11 September, 2015
1 September, 2015
1 September, 2015
1 August, 2015
25 June, 2015
1 June, 2015
1 June, 2015
1 June, 2015
1 June, 2015
1 January, 2015
1 January, 2015
2 December, 2014
1 December, 2014
25 November, 2014
1 October, 2014
1 September, 2014
1 September, 2014
1 September, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
1 August, 2014
10 June, 2014
1 June, 2014
1 April, 2014
1 March, 2014
Antarctic krill, a shrimp-like crustacean that can grow to 6cm long, is a food source for fish, whales, seals, penguins and other seabirds. Rich in oil and other nutrients, this …
1 March, 2014
Reports suggest that climate change is putting penguins in peril. Scientists at British Antarctic Survey investigating long-term changes in penguin populations report what’s happening to these iconic birds. Are penguin …
21 January, 2014
8 January, 2014
1 January, 2014
1 January, 2014
1 January, 2014
1 January, 2014
1 January, 2014
1 December, 2013
1 November, 2013
15 October, 2013
22 September, 2013
22 September, 2013
22 September, 2013
15 September, 2013
22 July, 2013
1 July, 2013
19 June, 2013
28 May, 2013
22 April, 2013
11 April, 2013
4 April, 2013
1 April, 2013
1 March, 2013
27 February, 2013
1 February, 2013
1 February, 2013
1 February, 2013
21 January, 2013
1 January, 2013
1 January, 2013
1 January, 2013
17 December, 2012
1 December, 2012
1 September, 2012
17 February, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2012
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2011
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
1 January, 2010
17 November, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2009
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2008
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007
1 January, 2007